8 Things That Can Ruin an Awesome Kiss (and One Easy Way to Make It Amazing)

Ah, kissing! One of the loveliest of pastimes. There's nothing like that tingly feeling when you lean into a bona fide dreamboat, his oh-so-pretty face zooming up as you get closer, and...get the lower half of your own slobbered on. Buzz. Kill. A good kiss gone bad is something pretty much everyone has had to deal with (unless you are the luckiest woman ever, in which case, go enter the lottery stat!). Here are a few different ways a smooch can go wrong, and one tip that can help you make sure you're doing your best to create a kick-ass kiss. The aforementioned slobbering. Yikes. Guys who douse your face in spit take all the romance out of kissing. I get especially grossed out by saliva (everyone in NYC, please keep it inside your mouth and away from the sidewalks upon which I put my shoes). Even if you don't, you have to admit too much spit can drown the flames of your lust instead of stoking them. Two words: lizard tongue. It just darts in and out with no rhyme or reason. And is slimy. Bad things all around. Bad becomes worse if his tongue is actually dry. Gross

Ah, kissing! One of the loveliest of pastimes. There's nothing like that tingly feeling when you lean into a bona fide dreamboat, his oh-so-pretty face zooming up as you get closer, and...get the lower half of your own slobbered on. Buzz. Kill. A good kiss gone bad is something pretty much everyone has had to deal with (unless you are the luckiest woman ever, in which case, go enter the lottery stat!). Here are a few different ways a smooch can go wrong, and one tip that can help you make sure you're doing your best to create a kick-ass kiss.

The aforementioned slobbering. Yikes. Guys who douse your face in spit take all the romance out of kissing. I get especially grossed out by saliva (everyone in NYC, please keep it inside your mouth and away from the sidewalks upon which I put my shoes). Even if you don't, you have to admit too much spit can drown the flames of your lust instead of stoking them.

Two words: lizard tongue. It just darts in and out with no rhyme or reason. And is slimy. Bad things all around. Bad becomes worse if his tongue is actually dry.

Gross breath. Yours or his. Maybe you just inhaled garlicky pasta without thinking, and now he's leaning in for the big moment. Perhaps he's been burping up lager all night. How quickly the promise of something so sweet turns sour.

Groping. You barely know the guy and he's trying to worm his hands down your pants. Not cool, dude. Not cool.

Open eyes. You open your peepers for one quick second and see him staring back at you. Like, just watching your face. What the? Do you snap your eyes shut? Have a staring contest? It's one thing if you pull away and have a moment where you touch foreheads, rub noses, or make some other unbearably adorable move. But actually making out with your eyes open can get a little weird.

Too much tongue. When it's halfway down your throat, someone's tongue can truly seem like enough to block your air supply.

Moaning. If you're into the guy, this can be so wonderful. It's a sign that things are probably about to go to another level, or at least that he really wants it to. If you're just getting to know each other and he sounds like a recording from a porn set, no one will blame you for running the other way.

Clashing teeth. Look, it happens to the best of us. A little clinking teeth from time to time is fine, and even to be expected based on your styles. But if you really slam your pearly whites into each other, one of you might end up in the dentist's chair. And that's just not the best-case scenario for a kiss.

Now, for that have-an-awesome-kiss tip I mentioned: exfoliate your lips before every date. Actually, do it every day, because having lips that feel like clouds will just make your soul feel happier. You can buy a lip exfoliant, or just whip up your own. I like coconut oil and brown sugar. Get a new toothbrush with soft bristles and rub the mixture over your lips in little circles. Instantly softening (and delicious).

What do you think can ruin a great kiss? Do you have any amazing kissing tips?